Letterbook

Contracts for Cleaning & Repairing Arms, Provisions & Firewood

Discusses the execution of James Manon's contract to repair and clean 1000 stand of arms, and his partial payment in weapons. Advises Knox on what actions should be taken if further weapons are to be cleaned & repaired, and notes Manon's eagerness to do so, and at what price. Explains various materials needed for cleaning and repairing weapons. Refers to a contract for provisions, and a captain's request to draw a wood allowance for himself and his men. Surmises that this is a good time to purchase wood for use over the next year, and offers to draw up cost estimates.

1787

08

27

West Point

Henry Knox

William Price

James Manon

James Morrow

General

Captain Burbeck

Congress

troops

West Point

Boston

Springfield

clean

stands of arms

wood

contract

certificate

arms

weapons

provisions

allowance

damaged arms

repair

stocking

locks

stocks

splice

limbs

pins

loops

coal

files

steel

iron

glue

wire

oil

mounting

cast rough

polish

provisions

firewood

cords of wood

resolution of Congress

summer

winter

1787082740055

22

1

West Point August 27th, 1787 19

Sir,

Mr James Mr. James Morrow has repaired and cleaned the one thous- and stands of Ammo which you [indecipherable] me to contract with him for in your letter of March 16th, 1787.- And for which I haze given him a certificate- 999 of them is Arms that was taken in from the army in the year 1789 & 1784 is good ones- The other 668 are to be deucted from the damaged Arms, and aded to the good Stands-

If the gen should think proper to have any more of the Arms repaired I think it would be best to begin with thus that want Storking first ( some of butt) as new locks can be fitten to the storks- And the old ones taken to repair the other, and the old stork can be used to half stork and splice the others which want it- And at [indecipherable] we have not limbs that is fit to repair 500- And [indecipherable] that the public have new stork and locks sufficent for the whole-

I beleive their is about 300 which will be worth stocking, and about 6800 which will be worth repairing-

Mr Morrow is very definant of doing them, and I believe he will do them as cheap as any body-

He says that he will stork and clean those that want it for two Dollars 24/96 each, and repair and clean the rest for One dollar each, which will [indecipherable] but little better than 11/ for the whole- And he will make what [indecipherable], locks and storks is wanting for the whole, also find his own coals and Tiles to Complete them-

The public find storks and all the materials to work with, such as, steel, iron, glue, [indecipherable] oil and all the mounting (except such as mentioned above) and what is wanted new to [indecipherable] them cant rough, and be polish them wh-

He will do them as quick or slow as you should think proper to have them done-

Enclosed is a certificate of what [indecipherable] has been delivered to Mr Morrow agreeable to your Orders-

Captain Burbeck has made application for five wood for he company at the Rate of 10 cents per month, for 100 men, which he informs me he drew at Boston and Spring field, agreeable to a Resolution of [indecipherable] some time in the year 1786.-

If the [indecipherable] will [indecipherable] to let me know the allowance for the Troop, in Summer and Winter, and think proper to have any wood purchaser, I will forward an estimate for that [indecipherable]-

Now is a very good time to purchase what wood is wanting for both summer and winter, and if you [indecipherable] I will inquire and let you know the lowest it can be purchased for delivered here.

The Honorable

- Major Gen Knox, [indecipherable] at War-